Finding yourself single after being in a relationship for a few years can be a very difficult situation for many men. Especially if there are children involved in the split.

Life as a single dad is completely different from being in a relationship with children. However, that doesn’t mean that life has to be any more difficult for you. It is very possible to enjoy being single with kids! You just need to make sure you manage your time effectively. Be sure to always make your kids a priority as well. Are you new to life as a single dad? Here are the dos and don’ts that can help you carry on living your life to the full.

Do Remember Your Role

Don’t forget that your main role in life is as a father. Just because your kids might not live with you anymore doesn’t give you an excuse to abandon them. Make sure that you regularly see them. Your children will want as much contact with you as possible. Even if you don’t physically see them one day, you should still give them a quick phone call or send them a text message. They will love to keep you informed of what they have been doing. Try not to limit your contact to just the times they visit you. Otherwise, they might think that you aren’t particularly bothered about them.

Don’t Use Money As A Weapon

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You will probably have to pay child maintenance to your ex-partner so that she can support your kids. No matter how bitter your breakup may have been, you shouldn’t use money as a weapon and withhold these payments. At the end of the day, it is your children who will be worst off because of this. If your kids find out what you have been doing, they may even begin to lose their trust in you.

Don’t Spoil Them

Some single dads give their kids completely free reign when they are staying with them. This means they lavish gifts on them and let them do whatever they want. But many dads do this in an attempt to win favor with their kids and get one over on their ex-partner. If you do this and spoil them in this way, you will only be making the rift between you and your ex even worse. Create routines that your children need to stick to when staying with you. And lay off all the sugary pop and candies. If you return the kids to their mom high on sugar and tired from lack of sleep, she will not be happy!

Do Wait To Date

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You might feel like you want to bury your previous relationship as soon as possible, but you shouldn’t rush into dating just yet. You need to wait until you are 100% sure that you are over your ex. Some studies show that most divorced men get married to women who are very similar to their ex. Maybe that is because they don’t wait to move on until they are completely over their ex-wife? Before you do start dating properly, take some time off to reevaluate what you want out of life and the type of person you want to share it with.

Do Pamper Yourself

Many men find that coming out of a long-term relationship damages their self-confidence. So it is perfectly fine to spend some time pampering and treating yourself! Once you feel like you are ready to date again, you may want to get your appearance back up to scratch. Think about joining the gym or trying to regain some of your youth with a finasteride hair treatment. If you look your best, you will certainly start to feel your best again. And when you are feeling great, you will find that you have a lot more energy to be a great dad and enjoy time with your kids!

Do Make Every Minute Count

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You won’t see as much of your children now as you may like to. So it is very important that you make your time together count. Don’t just spend your days with your kids inside watching the TV. Get outside and make some precious memories together that you will be able to look back at in years to come!

Adapting to life as a single dad isn’t easy for anyone. It will be as difficult for your kids as much as it will be for you. But over time you will get used to it. You never know, you may even enjoy life even more!